Floor sweeper handle-to-housing connection

ABSTRACT

THE HOUSING OF A CARPET SWEEPER OR THE LIKE HAS A RECESS IN ITS TOP WITH A FLOOR WHICH IS FORMED TO ACT AS A SPRING. THE LOWER END PORTION OF THE SWEEPER HANDLE IS MOUNTED IN BEARINGS AND IS PIVOTABLE FROM AN UPRIGHT POSITION TO AT LEAST ONE HORIZONTAL POSITION. THE HANDLE END ENGAGES THE RECESS FLOOR DURING PIVOTING, AND THE INCREASED FRICTION HOLDS THE HANDLE AND HOUSING AT A SUITABLE ANGLE.   D R A W I N G

March 20, 1973 H. J. ROSENDALL 3,720,974

FLOOR SWEEPER HANDLE-TO-HOU SING CONNECTION Filed Jan. 19, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 |NVIENTOR HENRY J. ROSENDALL XZJ/f/ ATTORNEYS March 20, 1973 H. J.ROSENDALL FLOOR SWEEPER HANDLE-TO-HOUSING CONNECTION Filed Jan. 19, 1971 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'IIIIIIIl III! INVENTOR HENRY J.RDSENDALL AT TORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 3,720,974 FLOOR SWEEPER HANDLE-TO-HOUSING CONNECTION Henry J. Rosendall, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Bissell Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich. Filed Jan. 19, 1971, Ser. No. 107,754 Int. Cl. B25g 3/00 US. Cl. 15-144 R 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the connection between the handle and housing of a carpet sweeper or the like.

Heretofore, most handle-to-housing connections in carpet sweepers have required a bail and its associated parts, and have been somewhat complicated and timeconsuming to assemble.

The structure of the present invention eliminates the need for a bail and is very simple to manufacture and assemble.

The handle is pivotally mounted centrally of the housing top. The housing includes spring means for engagement by the handle end as the handle is pivoted from a vertical position. This engagement provides a high frictional connection which tends to hold the handle-tohousing angle and keep the housing parallel with the floor. In addition, the structure provides a detent so that the handle will stay at an upright or horizontal position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carpet sweeper con- Structed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view, with parts broken away, showing the handle connector and housing;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1, and showing upright and end positions of the handle connector; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, and showing the intermediate positions of the handle connector.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings, the invention is contemplated for use in a carpet or other floor sweeper adapted for reciprocal translation over the surface to be cleaned. The sweeper includes, in addition to the well-known rotary-brush type sweeping apparatus, wheels 1 for supporting the device on the floor, a case or housing 2 and a handle 3 for manipulation by the operator. Housing 2 is shown as rectangular in configuration and has a generally horizontal top surface 4.

3,720,974 Patented Mar. 20, 1973 In the present embodiment, housing 2 is of unitary construction, and is injection molded from a suitable plastic.

The present invention is directed to an improved connection between housing 2 and handle 3. For this purpose, and in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, housing surface 4 is provided With a longitudinally extending groove or recess 5 therein, which in this embodiment is formed by a pair of longitudinal side-walls 6 and a horizontal planular floor 7. A central slot 8 is disposed in floor 7, for purposes to be described. Likewise, a pair of side slots 9 which are coextensive with slot 8 and parallel thereto are also disposed in the floor. Spaced slots 8 and 9 form a pair of elongated thin, slightly flexible flat strips 10, for purposes to be described.

Handle 3 may be made of any suitable material, such as metal or plastic, and is provided with means at its lower end for connection and cooperation with the abovedescribed structure of housing 2. This means may form an integral part of the handle, without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the embodiment disclosed in the drawings, the above-mentioned means is formed as part of a connector member 11 which forms a socket within which the upper handle portion is received. For purposes of convenience, connector 11 and the upper handle portion will be referred to simply as the handle.

The lower end portion of handle: 3 is mounted for 180 pivotal movement about housing 2. For this purpose, a pair of diametrically opposed ears 12 extend radially outwardly from the handle and are suitably mounted in bearings formed by openings 13 which are preferably disposed, at least in part, in side-walls 6. Openings 13 are spaced above floor 7 a distance so that, when handle 3 is upright at to housing 2 the bottom end face 14 of the handle is closely adjacent floor 7 and is in slight engagement with a pair of elongated raised ribs 15 on each side of slot 8.

To assist in keeping handle 3 in alignment, a longitudinal rib 16 extends around the lower sides and end face 14 of the handle, and extends downwardly into slot 8. Rib 16 cooperates with slot 8 to prevent transverse shifting of the handle, since the lower handle end portion is spaced from side walls 6.

The lower handle end portion is squared olf so that face 14 is generally fiat, and provides fore and aft edges or corners 17 which may be sharp or which may curvingly merge into the handle side surface, as shown.

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, handle 3 is pivotable between an upright position to a horizontal position on either side of the pivot axis. These particular positions are intended primarily for storage and the like. During sweeping, the handle is pivoted to an intermediate position at less than 90 on either side of the pivot axis. As this pivoting occurs, corners 17 press downwardly against strips 10, which act as vertically movable fiat springs, and slide thereover. The increased friction, due to the biasing force of strips 10, tends to fixedly hold the handle and housing at a desired angle during sweeping, and keeps the housing level with the floor and] prevents any flip-up action. The increased friction at the intermediate points also creates a detent which tends to keep the handle in one of its low friction storage positions, once it has been placed there.

While the spring-like strips 10 are shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 as being integrally molded with housing 2, other spring means, such as fiat metal leafs, could be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The inventive concept provides a simplified connector of improved design.

I claim:

1. In a floor sweeper having a handle and a sweeper housing mounted for reciprocating translation over a floor, a handle-to-housing connection comprising, in combination:

(a) a recess formed in the top of said housing,

(b) vertically movable flexible spring means forming the floor of said recess,

(c) means mounting the lower end portion of said handle to said housing so that the bottom face of said handle is disposed adjacent said spring means, and so that the said handle is pivotable between a vertical upright position to at least one horizontal position,

((1) the lower end portion of said handle being formed and positioned to flexingly engage said spring means as the handle is pivoted between a vertical and horizontal position so that said housing is kept level with the floor during sweeping,

(e) said recess floor having a central longitudinal slot disposed therein,

(f) and a rib extending downwardly from the lower end of said handle and into said slot to prevent transverse handle shifting.

2. The floor sweeper of claim 1:

(a) in which said recess includes side-walls,

(b) and in which the lower end of said handle is spaced from said side walls.

3. The floor sweeper of claim 1 in which said means mounting said handle to said housing comprises:

(a) bearing means on said housing,

elongated thin slightly flexible generally flat strips forming said spring means.

6. The floor sweeper of claim 5 which includes: an elongated raised rib on each said strip, said ribs being disposed for engagement by the lower end portion of said handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 714,089 11/1902 Wurm 306-19 1,630,703 5/1927 James 306-19 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,074,797 7/1967 Great Britain 1541 R 90,430 10/1967 France 15-41 R ANDREW V. KUNDRAT, Primary Examiner 

